The Most Boring Stretches of Highway

[Brandon]

SOme roads would be boring if not for their odd design quirks, like the indiana toll road, i used to think the PA turnpike sucked, until i drove both in a semi...the PA turnpike has sane design decisions at times, indiana just seems to have a just let it decay and not tweak it mentality.

If it was more recently, like say in the past 5 years or so, I'd say it has a lot to do with the consortium that operates the Toll Road now.  They are nowhere near as good as InDOT at upkeep.  IMHO, it's a good lesson on why toll roads should not be leased to third party operators with a profit motive.

[SteveG1988]

SOme roads would be boring if not for their odd design quirks, like the indiana toll road, i used to think the PA turnpike sucked, until i drove both in a semi...the PA turnpike has sane design decisions at times, indiana just seems to have a just let it decay and not tweak it mentality.

If it was more recently, like say in the past 5 years or so, I'd say it has a lot to do with the consortium that operates the Toll Road now.  They are nowhere near as good as InDOT at upkeep.  IMHO, it's a good lesson on why toll roads should not be leased to third party operators with a profit motive.

I drove it first in 2009, then 2010, then 2014...it hasn't changed much.

[jbnv]

I-55 in Arkansas is bad, but hey...the sudden decay in pavement coming from the north makes it fun, particularly when the suspension on the semi attempts to keep up, I-55 has a much much worse segment.... Manchac Swamp Bridge outside New Orleans, just 23 miles of overpass with occasional high level segments. I felt like time ran backwards on that crossing.

Objection, at least during the day. Plenty of scenic wetlands, plus the fishing community at Manchac that has canals instead of roads. Definitely more interesting than I-55 in Arkansas. Now at night, I'll give you that since all you can see are 23 miles of bridge.

[bemybear]

A very old thread but I was surprised that there were only one or two mentions of I-505 connecting I-5 to I-80 bypassing Sacramento.  It's the definition of boring.  I guess its only 33 miles long but it feels like 75 because there is almost nothing to see or do along the way.

I agree with a few common nominations that I-81 in PA/VA is pretty awful also and US-20 from Bend to Burns in Oregon is tedious.  I-57 (frequently nominated) is deserving of ridicule for sure.

[silverback1065]

US 52 from Lebanon, IN to US 41 (Skipping the Lafayette area) is nothing as far as the eye can see. 

[Flint1979]

Stretches of M-57 I believe are among the most boring stretches of highway in Michigan. M-57 runs east and west almost on a straight line but it does have several curves and is 105 miles long. I would say the most boring stretch is the stretch between Chesaning to the other side of Carson City, almost to M-66. After M-66 it's not quite as boring. There must be some slight curves on M-57 since the Seney Stretch of M-28 is the longest straight as an arrow stretch in the state but M-57 has a stretch that seems longer than the Seney Stretch. I'm talking about from Meridian Road at the Gratiot/Saginaw County line to just before M-66 I notice a slight curve but other than that it's almost straight as an arrow and very boring going through farm fields for the most part. You do have the interchange with US-127 but that isn't much and US-127 is about the halfway point between M-52 and M-66.

[Sanctimoniously]

I'll put a vote in for a couple stretches mentioned a few times in this thread, namely I-57 and I-20 between Columbia and Florence. For I-20(/59), I'd also like to add the stretches between Tuscaloosa and Meridian, and Jackson and Vicksburg. When you're slowly going insane, 16 hours into your third 19-hour trip in as many days, those two stretches feel like you're on a film set with the road and "scenery" on rolling, repeating panels around you.

[sparker]

Upthread, and from several years back, the segment of I-5 from Sacramento to Red Bluff was mentioned more than once; there's some slight amelioration of the boredom these days with the emergence of the area as a noted "foodie" production area, with specialty cheese being the prime attraction centered in the formerly "backwater" town of Willows.  Grazier, Sierra Nevada Cheese, and others are attempting to mimic Tillamook, OR as tourist attractions.  "Piggybacking" on this new phonomenon are the "olive bars" further up the line around Orland and Corning; they've been around for at least 30 years. 

But I guess if one isn't into such things -- or isn't particularly hungry -- then the trek's still a bit boring!

[index]

I think any rural east coast highway can qualify for this. I-85 and I-95 through Virginia and North Carolina can be a real snooze fest. For a lot of the time, it's you, your direction of travel, and a nonstop wall of trees for miles on end. I swear, I-80 Nebraska would be better. I haven't actually been there, though. It'd probably be interesting for a little bit because of the change in scenery, but it'd be equally as boring after a bit I'd bet.

[hotdogPi]

I think any non-mountainous rural east coast highway can qualify for this. I-85 and I-95 through Virginia and North Carolina can be a real snooze fest. For a lot of the time, it's you, your direction of travel, and a nonstop wall of trees for miles on end. I swear, I-80 Nebraska would be better. I haven't actually been there, though. It'd probably be interesting for a little bit because of the change in scenery, but it'd be equally as boring after a bit I'd bet.

FTFY.

I-89, I-93 in New Hampshire...

[index]

I think any non-mountainous rural east coast highway can qualify for this. I-85 and I-95 through Virginia and North Carolina can be a real snooze fest. For a lot of the time, it's you, your direction of travel, and a nonstop wall of trees for miles on end. I swear, I-80 Nebraska would be better. I haven't actually been there, though. It'd probably be interesting for a little bit because of the change in scenery, but it'd be equally as boring after a bit I'd bet.

FTFY.

I-89, I-93 in New Hampshire...

Oh, right, definitely. I-40 in Western North Carolina is lovely. So is I-77 in VA and WV.

[Thing 342]

I think any non-mountainous rural east coast highway can qualify for this. I-85 and I-95 through Virginia and North Carolina can be a real snooze fest. For a lot of the time, it's you, your direction of travel, and a nonstop wall of trees for miles on end. I swear, I-80 Nebraska would be better. I haven't actually been there, though. It'd probably be interesting for a little bit because of the change in scenery, but it'd be equally as boring after a bit I'd bet.

FTFY.

I-89, I-93 in New Hampshire...

Mountainous highways can be boring: I-81 through VA and I-80 through PA both say hello.

[US 89]

I-80 through the Bonneville Salt Flats can get boring fast. While the scenery is cool, it's 40 miles without a single bend in the road, so your view doesn't change for more than half an hour. There are even "Drowsy Drivers Pull Over" signs.

I-80 in Wyoming is pretty boring, with the occasional wind farm or mountain pass to keep drivers awake.

[signalman]

I think any non-mountainous rural east coast highway can qualify for this. I-85 and I-95 through Virginia and North Carolina can be a real snooze fest. For a lot of the time, it's you, your direction of travel, and a nonstop wall of trees for miles on end. I swear, I-80 Nebraska would be better. I haven't actually been there, though. It'd probably be interesting for a little bit because of the change in scenery, but it'd be equally as boring after a bit I'd bet.

FTFY.

I-89, I-93 in New Hampshire...

Mountainous highways can be boring: I-81 through VA and I-80 through PA both say hello.

I-81 mostly runs through a valley.  I'd also argue that both have enough traffic, especially trucks to keep one alert.  I don't find either particularly boring, and I have a lot of experience with both.

[webny99]

I-81 is hardly a boring road. I, for one, enjoy using it and have never found myself in danger of falling asleep. Not really any extended straight stretches, and it's certainly more interesting than the thruway.

Does anyone else find north-south roads more interesting in general? Almost all of the submissions thus far have been east-west roads. Not sure why it is, but I definitely find east-west (thruway, I-80) more boring.

[ThatRandomOshawott]

Any road that is straight and lined with trees.

[adventurernumber1]

Does anyone else find north-south roads more interesting in general? Almost all of the submissions thus far have been east-west roads. Not sure why it is, but I definitely find east-west (thruway, I-80) more boring.

Most submissions have likely been east-west roads, because a lot of cross-country roads (east to west) go through parts of the country such as the Great Plains which are long and don't have as fascinating scenery as other places, such as the Rocky Mountains. For example, Interstate 70 in Kansas and Interstate 80 in Nebraska are often high contenders on the "most boring interstate" list, and they fall under these categories (cross-country, east-west, can be long and monotonous for large sections, etc.). There are extremely interesting sections of interstate that are both north-south (example: I-17 in Arizona) and east-west (example: I-84 in much of Oregon, such as the Columbia Gorge and Cabbage Hill), but east-west interstates are probably more likely to be mentioned in this thread, simply because of the many east-to-west interstates that cross the country for a very long time and distance, but not always in the most interesting scenery.

[Max Rockatansky]

I-5 between CA 99 north to CA 299 is on some of the most flat and boring terrain in California.

[Flint1979]

Most boring Interstate I can remember being on was I-64 between Louisville and St. Louis. The drive across Indiana and Illinois seemed to take forever.

[Bickendan]

I used to think I-505 qualified, back when I was a kid. But having driven it, I rank it as the same as I-5 between Coburg and Albany.
I-5 between I-505 and Redding, however... I'd rather do the Wheeler Ridge-I-580 slog.

I-35 in Missouri and Iowa. Ugh.
And: MN 64

[silverback1065]

i-17 is a fun drive.

isn't there a very long, straight east west state road in north dakota that's very boring, i think it's 42.  it might be the straightest state highway.

[webny99]

Does anyone else find north-south roads more interesting in general? Almost all of the submissions thus far have been east-west roads. Not sure why it is, but I definitely find east-west (thruway, I-80) more boring.

Most submissions have likely been east-west roads, because a lot of cross-country roads (east to west) go through parts of the country such as the Great Plains which are long and don't have as fascinating scenery as other places, such as the Rocky Mountains. For example, Interstate 70 in Kansas and Interstate 80 in Nebraska are often high contenders on the "most boring interstate" list, and they fall under these categories (cross-country, east-west, can be long and monotonous for large sections, etc.). There are extremely interesting sections of interstate that are both north-south (example: I-17 in Arizona) and east-west (example: I-84 in much of Oregon, such as the Columbia Gorge and Cabbage Hill), but east-west interstates are probably more likely to be mentioned in this thread, simply because of the many east-to-west interstates that cross the country for a very long time and distance, but not always in the most interesting scenery.

I definitely thought of that, as well. I've often wondered if it has something to do with the position of the sun, too, making east-west roads seem more infinite in length, whereas north-south highways feel more finite, even through the plains (I-35, I-29). Changes in landscape also tend to be much more gradual going east-west, and more abrupt going north-south. Knowing the road goes thousands of miles east or west, can also make it not quite as exciting ( ), when the scenery isn't very interesting.

isn't there a very long, straight east west state road in north dakota that's very boring, i think it's 42.  it might be the straightest state highway.

Pretty much any state road in (eastern) North Dakota is boring. You're probably thinking of US-2, though, which I have driven on (but not any extended rural stretches).

[Flint1979]

i-17 is a fun drive.

isn't there a very long, straight east west state road in north dakota that's very boring, i think it's 42.  it might be the straightest state highway.

I believe it's SH-46 that you are thinking of.

[kkt]

Mackenzie Highway, long and mostly straight, lined with trees so you can't see very far.  Interesting bits including bears and bison, and the bridge, but there's an awful lot of sitting there on cruise control with nothing to do.

[fillup420]

I think any non-mountainous rural east coast highway can qualify for this. I-85 and I-95 through Virginia and North Carolina can be a real snooze fest. For a lot of the time, it's you, your direction of travel, and a nonstop wall of trees for miles on end. I swear, I-80 Nebraska would be better. I haven't actually been there, though. It'd probably be interesting for a little bit because of the change in scenery, but it'd be equally as boring after a bit I'd bet.

FTFY.

I-89, I-93 in New Hampshire...

Oh, right, definitely. I-40 in Western North Carolina is lovely. So is I-77 in VA and WV.

Also US 221, US 321, or US 421 heading up through Boone
I-26 from US 74 to the TN line
Great Smoky Mountain Expressway (US 19, US 23, US 74, US 441, NC 28)
Most of US 64 throughout the state

North Carolina has some spectacular highways